Buxton School
99%
Capacity
1,154
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Buxton School
Buxton School sits in the Waltham Forest local authority, a mixed state secondary for pupils aged 3 to 16. Among the 19 schools of its type in the borough, it ranks 6th by Progress 8, placing it in the top third locally. The three highest-performing peers in the area are Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest, Walthamstow Academy, and Walthamstow School for Girls, the latter being the nearest Outstanding-rated school at 3.7 km away. Buxton itself holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its most recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in 2023 that confirmed the school remains Good. With 1,154 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,170, the school is nearly full, and 39% of its students are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average.
Academically, Buxton delivers solid results. Its Progress 8 score of 0.21 is significantly above the Waltham Forest average of -0.07, meaning pupils here make stronger progress than their peers in other local schools. Attainment 8 sits at 42.4, and 59.9% of students achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 35.2% reaching grade 5 or above. The school enters 69% of pupils for the EBacc, though only 26.1% achieve the full suite at grade 4 or above. English progress is notably strong at 0.51, while maths progress is more modest at 0.07. The school's Progress 8 banding is rated as Average, and its national ranking places it in the top third of all schools in England. There is no sixth form, so students move on elsewhere after Year 11.
Buxton offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, and art studios, plus a library and ICT suite. Sports on offer include basketball, football, rugby, gymnastics, and martial arts, while clubs range from science and coding to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school has a substantial SEND provision, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language challenges, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder, including a resourced provision. Admissions for Year 7 in 2025/26 were oversubscribed: 230 applications for 73 places, with 40 first-preference offers made. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-equipped, inclusive secondary with strong academic progress and a broad extracurricular offer, all within a diverse urban community.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | 234 Cann Hall Road, London, Waltham Forest, E11 3NN |
| Headteacher | Jacqueline Bowers-Broadbent |
| Local Authority | Waltham Forest |
| Number of Pupils | 1,154 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 39.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,154 / 1,170 (99% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (21 Jun 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Dec 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.21)
1048th of 3,141
Nationally
283rd of 487
In London
6th of 19
In Waltham Forest
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2315%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 115 pupils).
- FE college38%
- Sixth form college36%
- School sixth form (stay)15%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
93% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed73
230
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
40 families put this school as their 1st choice (17% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:45-08:40
After-school care
15:15-18:00
Source: buxtonschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White (other)28.9%
- Asian22.0%
- Mixed12.1%
- White British8.8%
- Black5.8%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
22
Total schools
17
Oversubscribed
14
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buxton School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
234 Cann Hall Road, London
Waltham Forest, E11 3NN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
